Apparatus for degasifying liquid in wells



y 1957 A. E. HANSEN 2,800,085

APPARATUS FOR DEGASIFYING LIQUID IN WELLS Filed Feb. 10, 1956 IN V EN TOR. /4/ reo iflaw m A T 702N157.

United States Patent APPARATUS FORYDEGASIFYING LIQUID IN WELLS Alfred Hansen, Muskegon, Mich.

' Application February 10, 1956, SerialgNo. 564,789

7 Claims. (Cl. 103203) This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for dega'sifying liquid in wells. The subject matter of Second to provide liquid deflecting and directing baf- 4 lies for a well sleeve that function to separate gas from liquid by the joint action of reducingjthe pressure in the liquid and then directing the liquid through a holding or delaying path to free falling streams over a discharge lip whereby gas entrained in the liquid is first permitted to form into small bubbles that combine and grow in the delaying path and are brought to thesurface of the liquid where they 'separate'and' escape from the liquid as the liquid is passed over the lip.

Third, to'provide liquid deflectingand directing bafflesitha t are secured to the inside of a well. sleeve .in spacedrelation to the center'of the sleeve so that a pump and pump discharge pipe can be inserted into the sleeve without obstruction from the troughs.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims. The drawings, of which there is one sheet, show a highly practical form of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view through a well having the degasifying apparatus of the invention mounted therein.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross sectional View through a portion of the well casing and the degasifying sleeve.

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along the plane of the line 3-3 in Fig. 2.

The degasifying apparatus is designed for insertion in a well casing 1 that extends well below the ground level 2 of liquid in the well. The casing 1 has a screen 3 or other perforations therein so that the liquid normally stands in the casing to the same level as the surrounding liquid. Positioned in radially spaced relation within the casing 1 and extending a substantial distance below the liquid level is a sleeve 4 having a closed bottom 5 and top 6. A gas escape pipe 7 opens through the top of the sleeve and extends exteriorly of the well where a gas suction pump 8 may be provided. A pump discharge pipe 9 also extends through the top of the sleeve substantially into the sleeve and below the liquid level in the sleeve. The discharge pipe 9 extends exteriorly of the well and has a packing 10 for the entry of a pump shaft 11 into the discharge pipe. The shaft extends between a pump motor 12 and impeller mechanism 13 at the bottom of the discharge pipe 9.

Located within the sleeve 4 and below the liquid level therein are a plurality of vertically spaced upwardly facing annular troughs 14. The troughs have upturned cylindrical flanges 15 and.16. The outer flanges 15 are pressed into the sleeve and retained in place by short jet nozzles 17 positioned. in alined holes bored in the sleeve and the flanges 15. The inner flanges 16 are spaced radially from the pump shaft 11 and have inwardly and downwardly oifset lips 18 formed therein at angularly spaced positions from the nozzles 17. Desirably, the several troughs 14 are angularly rotated with respect to each other so'that the several nozzles 17 and lips 18 are not located directly one above the other.

In operation, the pump draws down the liquid level in the sleeve 4-and liquid from the casing flows with considerable force through the nozzles 17 from the casing 1. The jets from the nozzle first impinge against the inner flanges 16 in. an action that both reduces pressure and breaks the liquid up into small drops and permits the development of entrained gas into small bubbles. I The liquid then flows in one or both directions around the trough to one or more of the lips 18. This flow along the trough creates a holding or delaying period and path in which the small bubbles are permitted to combine and grow in size. The liquid flows over the lips and in sodoing is stretched to a thin film where the enlarged bubbles meet the surface of the liqiud and escape.

It is pointed out that in flowing around the trough from one or more jets plural streams of liquid approach a lip from opposite sides so that in efiect two streams of liquid meet in what is known in hydraulic engineering as a rising well. The action is such that turbulence and meeting of the two streams causes rapid combination of gas bubbles of increased size that are immediately released from-the liquid.

The liquid falls between the troughs 14 and theshaft 11 to the level of the liquid in the sleeve while the liberated gas rises or is drawn off through the pipe 7 and pump 8. The structure described is effective to liberate and separate a large proportion of gas entrained insub-surface liquids such as oil and water.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a well, the combination with a casing extending below the ground level of the liquid to be pumped so that a substantial length of the casing is filled with the liquid, a gas separator sleeve disposed in spaced concentric relation within said casing to be surrounded by liquid therein, said sleeve being closed at its lower end and having a gas exhaust means at its upper end, a pump discharge column pipe disposed in spaced concentric relation within said sleeve and openingat its lower end thereto, and a plurality of upwardly facing annular troughs mounted on the inner wall of said sleeve and around said discharge pipe at spaced intervals therealong, said troughs having upstanding inner rims with angularly displaced inwardly and downwardly displaced overflow lips formed in their upper edges, said sleeve having inlet ports formed therein and opening to said troughs opposite to said rims and at angularly spaced positions from said lips.

2. In a well, the combination with a casing extending below the ground level of the liquid to be pumped so that a substantial length of the casing is filled with the liquid, at gas separator sleeve disposed in spaced relation within said casing to be immersed in liquid therein, said sleeve being closed at its lower end and having a gas exhaust means at its upper end, a pump discharge column pipe disposed in spaced relation within said sleeve and opening at its lower end thereto, and a plurality of upwardly facing annular troughs mounted on the inner wall of said sleeve and around said discharge pipe at spaced intervals therealong, said troughs having upstanding inner rims with angularly displaced inwardly and downwardly displaced overflow lips formed in their upper edges, said sleeve having inlet ports formed therein and opening to said troughsloppositeto-said rims and at angularly spaced positions from said lips'. 1' 1L;

3. In a well, the, combination with'a casing extending below the ground level of the liquid to.be;pumped. sothat a substantial length of the casing is filled with the liquid,

a gas separator sleeve disposed in spaced relation .within said casing to be immersed in liquid therein, said sleeve being closed at its lower end and'having a gas exhaust means at its upper end, a pump discharge column pipe 4. In a well, the combination with a casing extending below the ground level of the liquid to be pumped so that a substantial length of the, casing is filled with the liquid, a gas separator sleeve disposed in spaced relation within said casing to be immersed in liquid therein, said sleeve being closed at its lower end and having, a gas ing inner rims with inwardly and downwardly displaced overflow lips formed in their upper edges, said sleeve having inlet ports formed therein and opening to said troughs opposite to said rims and at angularly spaced positions from said lips. p p p 5. In a well, the combination with a casing extending below the ground level of the liquid to be pumped so that a substantial length of the casing is filled with the liquid, a gas separator sleeve disposed in spaced concentric relation Within said casing to be surrounded by liquid therein,

said sleeve being closed at its lower end and having a gas exhaust means at its upper end, a pump discharge column pipe disposed in spaced concentric relation within said sleeve and opening at its'lower end thereto, and means forming a plurality of upwardly facing annular troughs on the inner wall of said sleeve and around said discharge pipe at spaced intervals therealong, said sleeve having inlet ports formed therein and opening to said troughs opposite to the inner walls of the troughs.

6. A degasifying sleeve for insertion in a well comprising a cylindrical shell closed at its top and bottom and having openings formed in its top for a central pump discharge column and a gas exhaust connection, and means forming a plurality of annular upwardly facing troughs around the inside of said shell at spaced intervals therealong, said shell having inlet openings formed therein opposite the inner walls ofsaid troughs to discharge against said inner walls, the inner walls of said troughs having downwardly ofiset overflow lips formed in their rims 'at points angularly spaced from said inlet openings.

7. A degasifying sleeve for insertion in a well comprising ,a cylindrical shell-closed at its top and bottom and having openings formed in its top. for a' central pump discharge column and a gas exhaust connection, and means forming a plurality of annular upwardly facing troughs around the inside of said shellat spaced intervals therealong, said shell having inlet openings formed therein opposite the inner walls of said troughs to discharge against said inner walls. 1 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS V 33,736 Elliot Nov. 19, 1861 I 994,335 Perkins June 6,1911 1,592,079 Chancellor et a1. July 13, 1926 0 2,024,703 Ragsdale et al. Dec. 17, 1935 2,346,602 OBannon Apr. 11, 1944 2,764,102 Abdoet al. Sept. 25, 1956 

